Brasilia is not known for being a ‘happening’ or ‘hip’ city, on the contrary, Brasilia is quite frankly known for being dull. This man-made city lacks the natural vibe and buzz that most other cities in Brazil, Latin America, the world have.

This is a sentiment that I won’t contradict, however every so often, you will come across a gem of a place that will make you forget that you are in fact in Brasilia.

One of these little gems is Bar Do Mercado!

Located on the rather rough and industrial looking W3 road in Asa Sul (the South of the city), Bar do Mercado with its beautiful arched entrance way and its warm glow, is a welcome sight.

The interior is even more pleasing to the eye due to the bar’s attention to detail. Everything from the black and white tile floors, to the casual wooden table and chairs, to the mural on the wall, and the waiters in their smart uniforms, creates an atmosphere reminiscent of a bygone era.

What also adds to the charm of Bar do Mercado, is that it is connected to the Mercado Municipal. Run by the same people and where the bar gets its name from, the Mercado Municipal, is a wonderful little ‘indoor market’ themed delicatessen store, selling everything from organic vegetables, to fresh fish, to speciality meat, fresh bread, and what grabbed our attention – a generous wine selection (we will get back to this later).

Bar do Mercado and Mercado Municipal – flow effortlessly in together. Like the bar, the attention paid to the lay-out and detail of the market is beautiful. Curated in a way that makes you feel that you are in a Parisian market, but priced in a way that brings you immediately back to Brasilia and reality.

The atmosphere in Bar do Mercado is fun and lively, Whether you are a couple enjoying a bottle of wine and sharing a few ‘petiscos’ (Portuguese for snacks) or a group of friends out on a Friday night, the bar has that rare ability to be able to cater to everyone.

Last Friday – we were that group of friends! C and I suggested we meet at Bar do Mercardo for a few drinks and a bite to eat. What a wonderful evening we had. Remember the wine selection I was talking about in Mercado Municipal? Well, we were allowed to walk on over, choose the wine we wanted and enjoy it at our table. Needless to say, C and a few of the other wine enthusiast made a few trips that evening picking up various bottles along the way.

It was one of those rare spontaneous evenings, where the wine kept on flowing, and the conversation kept going. Everyone was happy, everyone was enjoying themselves and it wasn’t just our table, but everyone in the bar. Every time I looked around the room, I saw tables of smiling, laughing people, all enjoying their Friday night as much as we were.

After a year and a half of looking, I think we found our local in Brasilia – and Bar do Mercado, I think your it!

Bar do Mercado –  http://www.bardomercado.com.br/